Florida Health Officials Hope To Test GMO Mosquitoes This Spring

By:

Update Required
To play the media you will need to update your browser to a recent version.

The FDA is considering whether to approve the experimental use of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys to help stop the spread of dengue fever and other diseases. Mosquito control officials in the region say they hope to get approval to begin releasing the insects in the Keys as soon as this spring.

There are few places in the United States where mosquito control is as critical as the Florida Keys. In this southernmost county of the continental U.S., mosquitoes are a year-round public health problem and controlling them is a top priority.

Michael Doyle, an entomologist who oversees the Mosquito Control District in the Keys, is worried about one species in particular: Aedes aegypti.

"They love people," Doyle says. He puts his hand near a fine-meshed cage full of the insects, in one of the district labs, to demonstrate his point. The mosquitoes immediately respond, clustering at Doyle's side of the cage. They've clearly noticed him, and they're interested.

"I'm not going to touch them," he says, "because these are wild types and they could be carrying something. But if you put your hand up, they'll fly over and land on the screen to try to bite you through the screen."

These are the mosquitoes that carry dengue fever and chikungunya, another tropical disease that's swept through the Caribbean and is now showing up in Florida.

After years of spraying, local health officials say, A. aegypti mosquitoes in the Keys have developed a resistance to most chemical pesticides. Now, the Mosquito Control District wants to become the first in the U.S. to try something new: genetically modified mosquitoes. The strain of insects was developed more than a decade ago by a British company, Oxitec.

Experiments already conducted in Malaysia, Brazil and the Cayman Islands have found that releasing bioengineered male mosquitoes can reduce the A. Aegypti population by 90 percent. For the past five years, officials in the Keys have been working with Oxitec to get approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for similar experimental trials in Florida.

Derric Nimmo, Oxitec's head of mosquito research, says only male A. aegypti are released in these experiments. "It mates with the females in the wild," he explains, "and passes on that gene to all the offspring. The female goes off and lays her eggs. The eggs hatch. But then they die before reaching adulthood."

The district says surveys it has commissioned of area residents suggest that 60 percent are OK with the trials, and 10 to 20 percent are opposed. In public meetings, though, opposition to the bioengineered mosquitoes has been strong. Some residents question whether dengue is enough of a problem in the Keys to warrant such an experiment.

"It makes no sense to me," Deb Curley, a resident of Cudjoe Key, said at a recent public meeting. "We don't want to be guinea pigs."

In 2009 and 2010, Key West was hit with an outbreak of dengue fever, the first in 75 years. There haven't been any cases since. But Doyle compares the situation to a smoldering fire. "We've got 2.5 to 3 million people that visit the Keys every year," he says. "We're very popular. So the likelihood of it arriving at any given time is good."

Other residents say they're concerned by how a bioengineered mosquito may affect them and the environment. Patty Crimmins, a resident of Key West, says her concerns go beyond mosquitoes. "We're not particularly thrilled with genetically modified anything," she says.

Oxitec's Nimmo says that since A. Aegypti mosquitoes are nonnative, removing them would actually be an environmental plus. He says the bioengineered mosquitoes don't live long after they're released. "And then," he says, "the offspring will die. We've shown that after trials where we stop releasing, [this strain of mosquito] doesn't last very long in the environment. So, we've got a very self-limiting, safe, species-specific technology."

Upcoming Events

Help Kansas Public Radio show listener appreciation in a cool way with FREE Hy-Vee ice cream and Alchemy iced coffee.

Stop by the Union Pacific Depot in Lawrence between 5 and 7 p.m., on Thursday, June 20, to meet some KPR personalities and mingle with fellow listeners. Enjoy extra family-friendly activities with face painting from Fairy Fox Design, a busker performance from Richard Renner and music from Retro Cocktail Hour host, Darrell Brogdon.

The first 200 KPR members will get their ice cream in a new KPR mug! You can also bring your own mug, which we'll be happy to fill ﻿(biodegradable cups also provided).

Description: Bring the whole family and spend quality time with your favorite farmyard friends. Presented by Stable T. Farms. Stable T Farms will be at the branch from 10:30am-12:30pm to ensure every family gets a visit. For all ages. Submitted by: Sheila Blue Springs North Branch - Mid-Continent Public Library

Description: Join us this Memorial Day for a family-friendly event that supports Family Promise of Lawrence, a nonprofit serving local families experiencing homelessness. This is a fast, certified course. First-time racers, joggers, walkers, strollers and dogs on leash are welcome. Medals will be awarded to age group finishers as well as overall and master's winners. All participants will receive a race T-shirt. Register by May 1 for $25; $30 after May 1. Teams of four or more receive $5 discount/person. Register at https://www.active.com/lawrence-ks/running/distance-running-races/5k-hom.... Music, bounce houses and other children's activities on-site. Submitted by: Kristin Montgomery Family Promise of Lawrence